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Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Discussion specific to Davis weather stations
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g0gcd
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 20 Jul 2012 6:57 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH3080 (Solar)
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Rothwell NN14 6JE UK
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Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by g0gcd »

Hi,
I'm upgrading (finally) my Fine Offset WH3080. It's looking like the Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus will match the needs but, despite hours with loads of data instruction manuals and Topics, I have become confused as to how best to get the data to my website.

Currently using (and very happy with) Cumulus 1.9.4 but concede that it may be time to upgrade to MX (if necessary). The easy bit seems to be the ISS - the Pro2 Plus includes the Solar Intensity and UV sensors to match the FO station. At the base of the mast, my current console is hidden away in a cupboard, so clearly, I don't need to 'see' the data directly.

- Can somebody confirm that a 'WeatherLinkIP' (WLLip) would perform the same role as the 'Console' but without the display?
- Does WLLip correctly/simply transfer the solar info to Cumulus or do I need to use other 'other sensor' configuration?
- What size data logger buffer does WLLip have, or does it also need the WeatherLink DataLogger (WLD)? (I sample at 5minute intervals)
- If I go with the console approach, I'm aware that I will need the WLD, which has USB or Serial variants. What size data logger buffer does WLD have?
- Is either approach suitable for continuous PC connection?

The aim is to seamlessly transfer the data capture over from FO to Davis, so I need to capture the same parameters to maintain consistent records. I would appreciate any advice from someone who has gone the same route, or who would be prepared to offer support (handholding) whilst I go through the process.

Thanks
John G0GCD
www.nn14.co.uk

PS - If I could find a source of the FO, I'd happily replace like for like but none of their current range seems to provide the same functionality. (I could do that 10 times over for the cost of the Davis station). Although I did (belately) find a warning that the WH3080 is not intended to be permanently connected to a PC! (10 years too late!)
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PaulMy
Posts: 3777
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Weather Station: Davis VP2 Plus 24-Hour FARS
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Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by PaulMy »

I will try to answer the questions, but you might be better to go to CumulusMX and use the Weatherlink Live (WLL) with the outside VP2 Plus ISS. This package, without a console, will save you some money as the WLL is the logger. But you would need to have a Weatherlink.com paid subscription to access the historical data. Unfortunately the WLL is not compatible with Cumulus 1. This setup may be available as a kit, or else purchase the VP2 Plus ISS and 6100 WLL as separate components.
- Can somebody confirm that a 'WeatherLinkIP' (WLLip) would perform the same role as the 'Console' but without the display?
WeatherLinkIP would need a console. There is also a third-party WiFiLogger, which is much like the Davis WeatherlinkIP but wireless, is able to upload directly to many sites such as WOW, WU, CWOP and more, and this also needs a console.
Does WLLip correctly/simply transfer the solar info to Cumulus or do I need to use other 'other sensor' configuration?
The VP2 Plus solar and UV are part of the data Cumulus will access and show and log like any other VP2 data. Just need to tick the Cumulus settings that you have the UV and Solar sensors.
- What size data logger buffer does WLLip have, or does it also need the WeatherLink DataLogger (WLD)? (I sample at 5minute intervals)
- If I go with the console approach, I'm aware that I will need the WLD, which has USB or Serial variants. What size data logger buffer does WLD have?
This will be helpful https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic ... #msg431387
- Is either approach suitable for continuous PC connection?
Yes, for sure!

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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Phil23
Posts: 884
Joined: Sat 16 Jul 2016 11:59 pm
Weather Station: Davis VP2+ & GW1000 (Standalone)
Operating System: Win10 Pro / rPi Buster
Location: Australia

Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by Phil23 »

g0gcd wrote: Thu 26 Aug 2021 8:02 pm PS - If I could find a source of the FO, I'd happily replace like for like but none of their current range seems to provide the same functionality.
Have you considered an Ecowitt with a GW1000.

I've had my Davis VP/2 for 6 years now & it replaced an old WH1080. I'm very happy with the solution.
It's directly connected to a PC via USB.

A few months ago I purchased two Ecowitt's, the first for a family members property & the 2nd for myself....
(I got separation anxiety upon passing it on to the owner.

What I've done here with my GW1000 is to run a 2nd CumulusMX on a pi & let it continue to build on a copy of my existing data from the Davis.
So transitioning & keeping data, as you wish to is not a problem.

Obviously now that I have a Davis & an Ecowitt running metres apart, I'm always comparing readings,
and have to say the Ecowitt never strays far from the VP/2.


Cheers.
:Now: :Today/Yesterday:

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Main Station Davis VP2+ Running Via Win10 Pro.
Secondary Stations, Ecowitt HP2551/GW1000 Via rPi 3 & 4 Running Buster GUI.
:Local Inverell Ecowitt Station: :Remote Ashford Ecowitt Station:
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philpugh
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Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by philpugh »

I can support phil23 here! I have had a ( now failing) vantage vue for 10 years. Recently I bought an Ecowitt GW1000 with WH65 station. It has been running for over a year sited next to the VantageVue and the data is comparable very favourably.. I have recently bought a second GW1000 with WS68 / WH40 / WH32 to act as the second system as I don’t appear to be able to source a replacement module for the VantageVue.

All my systems have been running on CumulusMX running on various RaspberryPi devices. The original VantageVue started on an old Windows laptop with CumulusMX V1 but migrated to V3 as soon as it became available.
Phil Pugh
GW1000 + WH65/WH57/WH31; HP2551 + WS68/WH40A; GW2001 WittBoy
cumulusutils generating website
http://goosegate.uk/
g0gcd
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 20 Jul 2012 6:57 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH3080 (Solar)
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Rothwell NN14 6JE UK
Contact:

Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by g0gcd »

Thanks all for your helpful input.

I'm in somewhat of a quandary now - Davis WLL versus Ecowitt GW1000.
I'm still not quite sure yet where the data buffering takes place, as 'logger' seems to mean communications interface, not 'data buffer' as I understood it.

Although off topic, I know that the Ecowitt can be connected to Cumulus MX but I think that it relies on the PC to capture each burst of data. There are options to upload captures to a cloud server for subsequent retrieval but I don't have a reliable enough Internet service for that.

I'm not clear how the Davis WLL behaves when the supporting PC and Internet becomes unavailable. The Fine Offset continues on battery power for up to 6 months, recording the last 14 days readings which are available when the PC comes back on line. I think that the 6510USB data logger will do that (but only 8 days) as the data is held on an on-board chip but not the WLL which follows the Ecowitt principle of storing readings on the cloud (which wouldn't, of course, be available). I have also looked at an Envoy/USB logger as the PC/Cumulus MX driver.

I'm well educated but I am struggling to grasp how these systems are operating and am feeling quite inadequate!

Thanks again,
John
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PaulMy
Posts: 3777
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Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by PaulMy »

Hi,
The GW1000 is not a datalogger. It communicates its internal sensors (inside temp and humidity, and barometric pressure) and any other Ecowitt sensors that it receives.
If CumulusMX is not running, or if the computer with CumulusMX is off, then the data for that period is missed.

The Weatherlink Live is a datalogger but somewhat different to the WeatherlinkIP or USB/Serial logger. The WeatherlinkIP and USB/Serial loggers will receive ISS data and store it in the logger. The length of storage depends on the interval you have set for the logger, i.e. 1, 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes. When Cumulus1 and CumulusMX is restarted the stored historical data in the logger is provided to Cumulus.

The Weatherlink Live also is a logger and it ALSO sends the data to Weatherlink.com. I can't recall what the storage of the WLL is but seem to remember it is much more than the WeatherlinkIP or USB/Serial loggers. One of the WLL differences is that it will send data to WL.com as long as there is internet connectivity, but if not, then WLL save the data and send the saved data to WL.com when connectivity is restored.

When CumulusMX, with WLL station type, is restarted it will access WL.com and retrieve the historical data ONLY if you have a paid Pro WL.com subscription. With free WL.com no historical data is available for download, with WL.com Pro up to 5 minute interval historical data, with WL.com Pro Plus up to 1 minute interval historical data.

So GW1000 and WLL with free WL.com, both the same - no historical data to catch up when CumulusMX is restarted. WLL with paid subscription historical data catch up when CumulusMX is restarted.

Both GW1000 and WLL provide live data to CumulusMX when it is running.

WeatherlinkIP and USB/Serial loggers will provide historical catch up data when Cumulus/MX is restarted.

Enjoy,
Paul
Davis Vantage Pro2+
C1 www.komokaweather.com/komokaweather-ca
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmx/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www.komokaweather.com/cumulusmxwll/index.htm /index.html /index.php
MX www. komokaweather.com/cumulusmx4/index.htm

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water01
Posts: 3215
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Weather Station: Ecowitt HP2551
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Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by water01 »

However, If you buy an Ecowitt HP2551 as I have just done it has effectively has got a GW1000 inbuilt and can utilise all the sensors that Ecowitt provide. It can also provide a logger by means of a microSD card up to 32GB (1GB is equivalent to 1 years data according to the manual).
David
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g0gcd
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 20 Jul 2012 6:57 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH3080 (Solar)
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Rothwell NN14 6JE UK
Contact:

Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by g0gcd »

Thank you.
That's a very clear explanation and I have now got it.
Seeking the best prices now !

Once again, thanks to all for their patient responses.
John
g0gcd
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 20 Jul 2012 6:57 pm
Weather Station: Fine Offset WH3080 (Solar)
Operating System: Windows 7
Location: Rothwell NN14 6JE UK
Contact:

Re: Help in filling gaps in Davis specs

Post by g0gcd »

Just to close this thread down, my solution is quite conservative:

Keeping (for now) Cumulus 1
Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus, for sensors and the 'pretty' console
Davis Vantage Vue console and WeatherLink USB logger, for hidden console, local data buffer and PC connection

I could have bought 14 new Fine Offsets for this investment but I'm really hoping for an end to the FO's notorious USB link failure.

Many many thanks for all your patience and help

John G0GCD
www.nn14.co.uk
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